Corsair Obsidian 650D Review

Introduction:

When I think of the Corsair Obsidian series, I am reminded of the massive full towers like the 700D and 800D that are immensely clean and perfect for watercooling, housing multiple video card setups, gigantic power supplies, and large hard drive arrays. Until recently, I was only aware that the Obsidian series cases were available in full towers and I was proven wrong when I learned about the Corsair Obsidian 650D. The Obsidian 650D is technically a mid tower, offering just about all the features you can expect out of a full tower — only sacrificing a little room. The Obsidian series has been wildly popular with the super high-end system builders and gamers with deep pockets as they certainly aren't cheap, but arguably some of the best cases that a couple hundred dollars can buy. The Obsidian series offers a feature-rich background, including integrated fan controllers, optional windows, hot swappable drives, brilliant cable routing systems, dust filters, and more.

The Corsair Obsidian 650D will be the first case from Corsair that I have had the fortune to evaluate. I am expecting an easy installation, good airflow, rigid construction, and thoughtful engineering on the packaged features, as well as more abstract ones, such as wire management and interchangeability of parts. This review will feature an in-depth evaluation of the Corsair Obsidian 650D. I will begin with packaging impressions and unboxing of the case, showing its packaged accessories. Following this will be an external and internal evaluation of the case, from my thoughts and opinions on these areas using a methodical approach. Most importantly, I will perform intense testing sessions with some of the latest hardware on the market while recording temperatures of key components, such as the CPU, video card, hard drives, and northbridge, and compare these results to other cases currently on the market. I am looking forward to getting started, so I'm going go end this introduction and jump right in!

Closer Look:

From what I've seen, Corsair generally sways away from flashy and high-end graphics on the disposable box that's most likely going to be thrown away within weeks of being opened. Other companies have been doing this as well, possibly to go green, but at the least, it saves cost. The entire box is printed in monochrome black and features a wireframe model of the Obsidian 650D on the front along with the Corsair logo next to a large amount of text. The sides of the case show general specifications of the case, such as dimensions, weight, expansion slots, etc. This information is provided in several different languages. The back of the packaging shows something I haven't seen often, which is an exploded view of the Obsidian 650D with numbered symbols that correspond to a commentary below — also in different languages. As an engineer, I must say we appreciate the exploded views! It's a very clear representation of the case and what to expect in terms of features and components.

The Obsidian 650D is packaged like most others, between two blocks of Styrofoam and wrapped in a bag. The accessory package can be found inside the case, which contains general hardware, such as standoffs, screws, zipties, etc. There is also a user's document included, which is basically a small poster that covers the basics on what features this case offers and how to fully take advantage of them.

With the Corsair Obsidian 650D out of the box and ready for exploration, I'm going to waste no time and make my way to the next page, covering the exterior of this case.